Seriously, something Albany should be proud of: William Kennedy. He’s one of the great writers. Basically, whenever you’re in doubt, just go back and read him. I like the way he writes about the city and the people. Any writer who gives you a sense of place like that I really admire. It’s why I’m not a fiction writer — it’s an extraordinary talent. Faulkner had his place, Hemingway had Spain. Kennedy writes that way about Albany.

Kennedy, who won the Pulitzer for Ironweed, happens to be one of my favorite writers. I first read him when I was 21, having been given a collection of his Albany trio as a gift from someone whose name escapes me now. Albany is not only a consistent setting but a muse for Kennedy, whose work often incorporates the sites and historical happenings of the region.

Though I like Ironweed, I think my favorite of his might be his fictionalized biography of Jewish gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond titled Legs, which is an intriguing character study and exploration of the local mob scene. For what it’s worth, which isn’t much, reading Legs I always yearned for James Woods to be twenty years young so he could play the title character in a big-screen adaptation.

Anyway, one of my favorite comics likes one of my favorite writers. What a delightful combination.

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Speaking of wonderful combinations, I can think of another one: your generosity and the Special Olympics of New York! I’ve dedicated essentially the remainder of the Summer to raising money through their Over the Edge fundraiser, which will culminate in myself and upwards of 100 other individuals rappelling down the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Albany on September 16th.

So if you have a minute and a couple dollars to spare, it’d mean the world to the over 47,000 children and their families that the Special Olympics of New York serves – free of charge, I might add – if you visited http://bit.ly/stuntraising and donated to the cause. My group, Team (Kevin Marshall’s) America, is offering tons of great incentives for giving: poems, projects, commissioned portraits, baked goods and more! Check it.

2 Responses

I was at the fiction reading at Skidmore last night & Mr. Kennedy came and sat right next to me. Right next to ME! The crowd at these things is usually very blase about the genious writers in their midst, so I was afraid to tell Mr. Kennedy how much I love his work, how I have read almost everything he has written with excitement and awe. I wish I had spoken to him. I may have appeared like a goofy fan, but at least I would have had the cherished memory of personnaly thanking him for his work. Talk about a missed opportunity. A mistake I am sure you would not have made, Kevin. (sigh)